Perouse geared to make amends

Perouse's winning streak was brought to a halt last time out but this vastly-improved hurdler can show he is still capable of landing a good prize when he runs in the feature race at Kempton Park tomorrow.

Perouse's winning streak was brought to a halt last time out but this vastly-improved hurdler can show he is still capable of landing a good prize when he runs in the feature race at Kempton Park tomorrow.

The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding shot up the ratings after rattling up a quickfire hat-trick in December, and he ended the month with a second to Demi Beau at Cheltenham.

Ruby Walsh harshly criticised himself for arriving at the head of affairs too soon that day, and Perouse can put matters right in the Tote Scoop6 Lanzarote Hurdle (3.40).

The handicapper has been able to get stuck into the six-year-old for his recent activities, but it can pay to stick with these big improvers and there are question marks about plenty of his big-race rivals.

Lord Sam should not be opposed in the opening britishhorseracing.com Novices' Chase (12.50).

Third in last season's Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Lord Sam is a high-class recruit to chasing and showed he can go far with a trouncing of Bal De Nuit on his debut at Huntingdon in November.

He outpointed Native Emperor by a length and a half at Lingfield subsequently and could prove himself one of the best staying novices around.

Caracciola missed an engagement at Ascot last Saturday because of worries over the ground and will take all the beating in the Pacemaker Magazine Novices' Chase (1.25).

Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old has fired in two highly impressive performances since being switched to fences and victories over Our Armageddon and Thisthatandtother have propelled him to the forefront of the Arkle Trophy market. It is difficult to see him losing his unbeaten record here.

The Jupiter ISA Handicap Chase (2.35) features a return to the larger obstacles for Monkerhostin, and it is well worth taking on a chance on his sometimes dodgy jumping.

The Philip Hobbs-trained seven-year-old has been in excellent form over hurdles and on his last run found only the well-handicapped Redemption too good in a hot race at Cheltenham.

His rating over fences is way below his hurdling mark and he can make the most of it.

Henderson has opted to swerve the Lanzarote Hurdle with Petanque and has instead rerouted the eight-year-old to Wincanton for the connaught.plc.uk Handicap Hurdle (2.15). The move should pay off.

Petanque has put in two respectable performances in good company this season, finishing fourth to Tom Paddington at Newbury and following up with another fourth behind Demi Beau at Cheltenham.

The Wincanton race looks a fair bit softer and as he remains on the same mark and the stable is pinging in winners, this looks just the right opportunity.

Jimmy Tennis is a winner waiting to happen and his time could well have arrived in the Connaught Cup Handicap Chase (2.50).

The Venetia Williams yard is in good form and Jimmy Tennis, back down to a reasonable handicap mark, has run really well on his last two outings behind Lord Maizey and Over The Storm.

He wasn't too fluent over the last couple of fences at Sandown last time but nevertheless ran Over The Storm to two and a half lengths, and the step up in trip suited him well. Tomorrow's extended three miles one furlong should again bring out the best in him.